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January 20, 2009

Notes from the CIC Planning Meeting

I'm sorry to say I'm back in Chicago, after spending three sunny days in Phoenix at the CIC 2009 planning meeting last week. Lots of topics were covered, as always. Here's a recap:

New CIC Chairman Russell Thrall did an excellent job of keeping the large group on topic, keeping comments and discussions constructive, and setting up the group to delve into industry issues in 2009 and 2010.

The industry issues are, I'm sorry to say, some of the same issues CIC and other organizations have been trying to tackle for some time, namely, steering, intra-industry relations, the shortage of technicians, and disparate DRP guidelines.

Toby Chess did a great presentation with firefighters from the Phoenix and Tucson areas about the importance of getting late model cars to firefighters so they can train on extrication procedures. I was not aware than most firefighters and emergency response personnel haven't had the opportunity to train on cars built this decade. The newer technology endangers both the first responders and the occupants of the vehicle of the proper equipment and methods aren't used to get passengers out of the car after a crash.

I have a question that came out of the meeting for me. One of the topics that came up at the CIC meeting was that the chairman is not voted on by the population - gold pin sponsors or otherwise - but is selected by the past chairmen. There was quite a bit of discussion on the fact that the Collision Industry Conference is a meeting, and NOT an organization. But this "meeting" has a vision statement, a mission statement, and working committees and task forces. Doesn't that make it a de facto organization? I'd like your thoughts on that.